By Skill Not Force Prologue
by David-El
Summary: Over 150 years, certain key events happened, all of which eventually led to the return of the White Walkers and the War of Five Kings. From the death of the last dragon to Brynden Rivers becoming the last greenseer, from the birth of Jon Snow to the shocking truth surrounding the Children of the Forest, this prologue to my first crossover has it all.


**A/N:** Welcome to one of the first chapters of my first major crossover, combining _Harry Potter_ and _Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones_. For now, this will be the only chapter posted, mainly to gain attention and build up suspense for the coming story, as I am not going to publish the actual crossover until I have written out the first book/season. Now, each chapter comes with a playlist at the end, and the chapter is named for one of the songs in the playlist. Oh, and I own NOTHING in this story, the mad genius George RR Martin does, as does HBO.

**By Skill Not Force**

**Prologue II: Things I Do For Love**

_King's Landing, Crownlands-The 155th Year after Aegon the Conqueror's Landing (AL)_

Aegon Targaryen, Third of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the realm was watching the last dragon of his family, a small green female. It was dying, and there was nothing that could be done to save it. Personally speaking, he couldn't care less, as his uncle's dragon had devoured the king's mother. Aegon III had hated dragons ever since. As the last dragon died, Aegon smiled. He would forever be known as Aegon Dragonsbane.

_ Far to the north, in the Lands of Always Winter, the death of the last dragon woke something that had slept for nearly eight millennium. The Great Other, king of the race the humans knew as the Others, or more commonly as the White Walkers, rose and with a great cry, declared the beginning of a new phase of their war on all creatures with warm blood, and the preparations for a new Long Night, one that would never end. And nothing, not even the Starks or the Night's Watch would stop him and his Children._

_The Haunted Forest-Beyond the Wall-c. 235 AL-Brynden_

Brynden Rivers of House Targaryen, the 982nd Lord Commander of the Night's Watch was riding north of the Wall with a group of Rangers when he spotted a flash of movement. After letting the senior Ranger know what he was doing, he followed it, convinced he had spotted a Wildling. Several times he came close to catching the Wildling, but each time, he/she escaped. "You're a clever one, this could take a while," Brynen whispered to himself. As he went deeper and deeper into the forest, he decided to hide his Valyrian steel sword, Blackfyre. Finding a suitable stone, Brynden stabbed Blackfyre into the stone, and pulled out his castle-forged sword. He was eventually led into a small cleft in the hillside with weirwood trees on either side of the cleft. Inside, he found his 'Wildling,' along with a host of others of his species, all of whom looked like children. "What are you?" he asked

"The giants call us 'little squirrel people,' in your tongue, we call ourselves 'those who sing the song of the earth,' while your people, the race of men, call us 'the children of the forest,'" his wildling answered.

"I thought you were myths," Brynden replied.

"No, just long forgotten, and now, our father wishes to meet you."

"Your father? But some of you look so old, how can you have one father, let alone one that's alive?"

"He is the father of our races," a female replied. "The first of us, the great one, our king. Come, sit on the weirwood and you will be prepared to meet him."

Confused, Brynden sat on what appeared to be a throne made of the weirwood trees, and once he had, he spotted the being that must be the father the daughter of the forest had mentioned. He was as tall as a human, but with dark skin, armour that shifted in colour with every step, and eyes that were an inhuman shade of blue. He spoke in a strange language, one that he was certain that no man could even attempt to duplicate. As he spoke, the Great Father walked up to the weirwood throne, put his ice-cold hand on Brynden's head, and stabbed him through his eye. Brynden gasped in shock, but as the Great Father's power flowed through him, he understood. They existed to keep the balance in nature: only death paid for life, and only the freezing cold could balance out the fire of dragons. The Long Night was coming again, and Brynden, the last greenseer grinned at the idea that he would help bring it about. Slowly, the weirwood throne grew around him, and he knew it was to keep the balance: only a cripple could fly through the weirwood faces and see the past, present and future. And as his smile grew, his violet eyes turned as red as blood.

_Harrenhal, the Riverlands-278 AL-the Year of the False Spring, Rhaegar_

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne was taking a sip of summer wine when he saw _her_. She was tall and lithe, with brown hair, eyes like stones, and a face like a wolf. "Who is that?" Rhaegar asked Ser Barristan Selmy, a member of his father's Kingsguard and one of the men he would be riding against in the tourney.

Selmy took one look at the woman before answering. "Ah, that would be Lyanna Stark of Winterfell. She is the betrothed of Robert Baratheon. Those three next to her are her brothers, Brandon, Eddard and Benjen Stark. Why, milord?"

"Because I intend to marry her."

Barristan stared at the prince. "But milord, you are already married. To divorce Lady Elia could cause Dorne to revolt, possibly even rebel, especially with the way your father has acted since his capture. Many pardons, my prince."

"Don't apologize; I hear what people are saying about my father. The Mad King they call him these days. My father seems to prove the old saying about our family."

"What saying, milord?"

Rhaegar smiled and explained. "They say that when a Targaryen is born, the gods take a coin and flip it to decide if the child is destined for greatness, or madness. It seems that for me, they decided I was destined for a madness born of love. I will ask her favour today, and make her the Queen of Love and Beauty for this Tourney. Besides, who says I have to divorce Elia?"

* * *

And so he did. The next day, before his first joust, Rhaegar rode up to the Starks and asked for Lyanna's favour, which she surprisingly gave-a necklace of blue winter roses, and with the favour, and over a week of jousting, Rhaegar conquered the field and gave the northern lady the crown and title of Queen of Love and Beauty over his wife. And every night after the day's fighting was done, Rhaegar and Lyanna met and talked, and Lyanna quickly fell for the young dragon prince. His love for her grew even more fierce when Lyanna disguised herself as a boy and trounced three knights in order to avenge a young crannogman who had been beaten by the knights' squires. When his father, Aerys II demanded that Rhaegar find out who the Knight of the Laughing Tree was out of fear that the knight was an enemy, Rhaegar simply sought out Lyanna. "Greetings, Ser Knight of the Laughing Tree," Rhaegar said.

"How did you know it was me?" Lyanna demanded.

"My lady wolf, who but a Northerner would use a sigil of a heart tree? Besides, with your strong feelings on the matter, how could I not know which Northerner it was? I was quite proud of you, my lady."

Lyanna laughed. "You remind me of my brother, Ned. It seems that only the two of you truly know me."

"And what of your betrothed?"

"Robert Baratheon? He sees me as a living trophy, someone to look pretty on his arm and act like some weak Southron lady who looks to her husband for strength. Even if by some tragedy I _did_ marry him, I couldn't even trust him to stay faithful to me! He's already gotten himself _at least_ one bastard girl in the Eyrie, and Ned tells me that he lies with as many women as he can persuade, or he visits whores! He's a drunken lecher, and I _hate_ him! I wish there were some way I could escape, but Brandon and Father keep telling me it's my _duty_ to do so."

Rhaegar sighed, his melancholy returning. "I know exactly how you feel, Lyanna. I felt the same way when I was forced to marry Elia. I always wanted a strong queen, one with a fire to match any dragon, and Elia is not that woman. Now I have found her, and it's not a fire I find, but the passion of ice." They chatted for a few more minutes, before Rhaegar returned to his father and announced that he had only found the mystery knight's shield.

* * *

On the return journey, Rhaegar pulled his wife aside and told her the truth. "Elia, I'm sorry, but you should know that I've fallen for someone else, and I intend to marry her."

Understanding came to her eyes. "It's that Stark woman, isn't it? You saw her and fell in love with her. That's why you named her Queen of Love and Beauty, isn't it?" The look in his eyes was answer enough for her. "Very well, but I want you to make certain that the Spider doesn't find out about this, and our children remain in the line of succession."

"Of course they will, Elia. Rhaenys and Aegon will always be my eldest children, and you will always be my first wife and a friend to House Targaryen. But we both know that our marriage is not based on love, but was just another move in the game of thrones that our parents play. It was simply a way to strengthen Dorne's allegiance to the Iron Throne and insult Lord Tywin."

The couple spoke little more for the rest of the trip back home, and a few months later, Rhaegar started the long trip to Winterfell, and quietly convinced Lyanna to come south with him.

_Summerhall, Stormlands-Year 279 A.L.-Lyanna_

"My prince, why did you bring me here? When you invited me, I expected to be brought to King's Landing," Lyanna Stark said. "In fact, why did you invite me at all?"

"Please, call me Rhaegar. And King's Landing is not safe for anyone anymore. My father's fear and paranoia have made it dangerous for everyone, even me. As to why here, well, it's one of my favourite places in the Seven Kingdoms, and where I was born. And to answer you last question of why I invited you milady, I have fallen for you. I love you, Lyanna, and I wish to marry you."

Lyanna stared at him, completely agape at his proclamation, before bursting out in laughter. "Rhaegar, that's impossible! Surely you must know that Baelor the Blessed forbade all marriages involving more than two people! The only way you _could_ marry me is if-"

"-If I divorced Elia first? Maybe for most, but we both know that the Targaryens don't always listen to the rules. Lyanna, I love you, and I know you love me. Let me prove myself to you in a way that Robert never could." Lyanna almost broke there, but she was a Stark, she could last longer before giving in to the demands of her heart.

* * *

Three months later, Rhaegar finally bent down on one knee, pulled out a ring and asked her "Lyanna of House Stark, I love you more than my life or my crown. If you asked me to leave King's Landing for good and move to Winterfell, I would if it meant I could stay with you. Will you marry me?"

Lyanna looked down at the prince and, after making him wait for a minute finally answered "Yes, my beloved dragon, I will." Rhaegar was so pleased that when he stood up, he picked her up and twirled her around, laughing with joy.

* * *

The next week, the couple went out to the last weirwood in the South and the septon of Wyl, who had been brought to Summerhall just for this purpose. "In the sight of the Seven and the Old Gods, I hearby seal these two souls, binding them as one, for eternity. Look upon one another and say the words."

Turning towards each other, Rhaegar and Lyanna spoke in unison. "Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger. I am hers and she is mine/I am his and he is mine. From this day, to the end of my days." They kissed, and the septon pronounced them husband and wife. Only three members of the Kingsguard were witnesses: Barristan Selmy, Arthur Dayne, and Oswell Whent.

The newly married couple spent the next week making love.

* * *

But their happiness was not to last. Only two months after their wedding (during which, Lyanna believed she became pregnant, though she did not tell her husband,) Rhaegar received a raven from King's Landing. "What's wrong, my dragon?"

Rhaegar's face fell as he turned to his wife. "Your father and elder brother are dead, and it's my fault. Ser Barristan wrote the whole story, if you wish to hear it."

"I am a Stark of Winterfell; of course I wish to hear it."

"Very well, my love," Rhaegar consented, and he started to read the letter. "_Your father's insanity and paranoia has reached a whole new level, my prince. Last month, Brandon Stark, Jeffory Mallister, Kyle Royce and Elbert Arryn came to the Red Keep calling for you to come out and die. The king heard them and arrested them all for treason and called for their fathers to come to King's Landing to answer the charge, and ransom them. During the so-called 'trial,' all of them claimed to have come so that they could bring _you_ to justice for kidnapping Lyanna Stark. But the king wouldn't listen and executed them all, father and son alike._

_ Lord Rickard demanded a trial by combat, and Aerys agreed. Unfortunately, the king's madness made Lord Stark fight an impossible duel. Aerys named _fire_ as the Targaryen champion, and the alchemist Rossart brought __**wildfire**__ of all things to burn him to death. His son was bound and made to watch, while told that if he could free himself, both he and Rickard would go free. A sword was placed just out of reach of Brandon Stark. However, as Brandon was bound around the neck using a certain Tyroshi device, he strangled himself trying to get free. We of the court and Kingsguard could do nothing but watch in horror. Following the executions, your father demanded that Lord Arryn hand over Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon. I have no doubt that when this news reaches the North and the Vale that the war we have so feared shall begin._"

Lyanna cried out when she heard the full story, then fainted. Rhaegar caught her, but he couldn't blame her, his father _had_ been extremely vicious and unforgiving. And it was his fault that they were dead, and they were going to war because of him and Lyanna. They spent a final night together before Rhaegar left for King's Landing. There he ordered Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Gerold Hightower to take Lyanna to the Tower of Joy and defend her with their lives.

_The Trident, Red Fork, Riverlands-Year 280 A.L.-Rhaegar_

Six months and five battles later, and three months since Rhaegar had seen his beloved, pregnant wife and Rhaegar with 40,000 men was now facing the most dangerous man in the rebellion: Robert Baratheon, Lyanna's former betrothed and best friend to her middle brother, Lord Eddard 'Ned' Stark and their 35,000 strong battle-hardened army. When Baratheon laid eyes on him, he roared out "_Targaryen!_" and charged him.

"Lord Baratheon, wait!" Rhaegar called out, but the young stag was lost in fury and he was forced to defend himself. The fight lasted for a good half-hour, with Rhaegar landing several blows on Baratheon. Unfortunately for the young dragon, a sword was no match for a war hammer, and his blade shattered. "Robert, I yield!" he cried out, but Baratheon's rage was too great, and he swung the hammer against Rhaegar's chest, crushing it instantly. The rubies that made up the three-headed dragon crest on Rhaegar's breastplate all fell out, scattering to the river, giving it a new name: the Ruby Fork.

After the battle was done, Eddard found Rhaegar lying in the river, barely alive. "Where is my sister, dragon?" he growled out, sounding very much like the direwolf that was the sigil of his house.

"Tower . . . of . . . Joy, in . . . Dorne. Take . . . take this, please," Rhaegar gasped out, handing Ned a small book. With his last breath, he whispered out "Lyanna," and was no more. Due to Robert's wounds and his insistence that Ser Barristan be treated first made it so that Ned Stark would have to go ahead. But before he left, Ned secretly gave orders to Martyn Cassel to take his body and burn it according to Targaryen traditions and keep the ashes safe until his return.

_King's Landing, Crownlands, Year 280 A.L.-Eddard_

Only a few days later, Ned rode into King's Landing, only to find that 10,000 men owing allegiance to the Lannisters of Casterly Rock had taken the capitol only an hour earlier, but in that hour, horrors had been committed. Homes had been looted and burned, scores of innocents killed, countless women raped. When he reached the Red Keep, and found young Jaime Lannister of the Kingsguard was sitting on the Iron Throne. "I was wondering who would be first to come here," he said, blood dripping from his gilded sword. A single look revealed that Aerys of House Targaryen, Second of his name, King of the Andals, Rhoynar and First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm was dead, his body lying at the foot of the Iron Throne. The cause of death was obvious, the man's head was at the feet of Ned's horse. Jaime stood up and took off his helmet. "So," Jaime continued, "are you going to claim the throne, or no?"

"No, that's for Robert, I don't want it. Never have, never will. I only came here to kill the king. Now that I see that the city is ours and Aerys is dead, I need to find my sister. Goodbye, _Kingslayer_," Ned hissed, giving the young knight the title he would be known by for the rest of his life.

"Well, have no fear. I was only keeping it warm for one of you. It's not a very comfortable seat, I'm afraid. Although I must admit, I like looking down on everyone."

"Wait, what about the queen, and the rest of the Targaryens?"

"Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys were spirited away to Dragonstone. As for the others, ask the Mountain there," Jaime answered, pointing to the largest man Eddard had ever seen.

"They're all dead, Lord Stark," Ser Gregor Clegane answered. "Had a bit of fun with the Martell girl before I killed her though." Ned was furious at that, and when Robert came to the city to claim the throne, he demanded that his friend punish the Lannisters for their crimes. Robert refused, saying that there was no crime, that because it was 'dragon-spawn,' he applauded it. Ned left in a fury to relieve the siege of Storm's End and eventually, the Tower of Joy in Dorne. As he left, the Baratheon sigil was changed from a black stag on a gold field to a crowned stag.

_Tower of Joy, Dorne-Year 280 A. L.-Eddard_

Of the six men that had come with Ned to the Tower of Joy to find his sister, only Howland Reed of Greywater Watch had survived the duel against the three men of Aerys' Kingsguard. During the duel, the Tower had caught fire, and now Ned and Howland were looking for Lyanna amidst the smoke and confusion of the Tower. They eventually found her in a small room, lying on a bed of blood, another, older woman standing next to her. "What happened?" Ned demanded.

"She's haemorrhaging, milord, the baby was too strong," the woman said.

"Baby?" Ned said in shock, turning to the woman. She was holding a newborn boy, one with hair as white as snow and had only recently been born. As she rubbed him in salt and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, he realized that she was a midwife.

"Ned?" Lyanna asked. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Lya, it's me," Ned replied, bending down to take her hand.

"Promise me that you'll watch after him for me, Ned, would you? Promise me, Ned."

"I promise. Lya, I promise. What shall I call him?"

"His name is . . . Aemon Targaryen."

"Targaryen?"

"He is Rhaegar's legitimate son. Promise me that . . . you'll protect him for me. And promise me . . . that you'll bury me in Winterfell, beside our brother and fathers. Promise me, Ned."

As she asked, Ned was reminded of something that Stannis Baratheon had once told him in one of the few meetings he had with his best friend's younger brother. "The Tully's have realized the three main driving forces for anyone," he said. "Family, duty and honour. Everyone must choose which they value most, and some day, so will you."

In that moment, Ned made his choice. "I promise, Lya," he said. Lyanna smiled and breathed her last. Standing up and turning to the midwife he asked "What's your name?"

"Wylla, milord. I was your sister's midwife, and I was also going to act as a nursemaid for little Aemon as well as the child of my Lady Dayne of Starfell."

"Wylla, I wish to honour my sister's final wish, but for that, I need to lie about the boy's heritage, and dishonour myself," Ned said, not even cringing at the idea. Before today, he had never dishonoured himself in any way, but to protect his family, he'd do anything.

"How are you going to protect him by dishonouring yourself, milord?" Wylla asked while Aemon moved to feed off her milk.

"I'm going to claim him as my bastard son, Jon Snow, and if you're willing, you will be the woman I claim as his mother."

"I'm willing, milord, but what about him? What are you going to tell him?"

"I'll keep the truth from him until he comes of age, then I'll tell him everything." Wylla nodded, and Ned smiled down at his sister. "The things I do for love," and the three of them left the Tower of Joy. Ned pulled the tower down and used it's stones to make a burial mound for the dead. Then the three of them, Ned, Wylla and Jon Snow went north, bringing Lyanna's body with them in a casket of wine to preserve the body. Along the way, Wylla bought several bottles of black dye and used it to dye young Aemon's hair black, in order that the lie of him being Jon Snow would be believed.

* * *

They made a brief stop in King's Landing, if only to let Robert know. "What happened?" King Robert I demanded.

"Lyanna is dead, Your Grace. I'm taking her back to Winterfell."

Robert froze at the statement, and it had nothing to do with Ned's cold tone. "Lyanna . . . is dead?" He bowed his head and wept for several minutes before looking up and noticing the baby in his arms.

"Yes, your Grace, my sister is dead. The boy is my blood, Jon Snow." Only one person reacted to the statement 'my blood,' and that was the only survivor of the Kingsguard other than the Kingslayer-Ser Barristan. Soon after, the two men were able to work out their issues over the fall of King's Landing, and Jon Arryn convinced Robert to take Cersei Lannister to wife.

* * *

A week later, during the wedding feast, Ser Barristan came to Ned in secret. "The boy, Jon, he isn't your son, is he? He's Rhaegar and your sister's son."

"I am not surprised that you figured it out, Ser Barristan. Yes, he is Prince Aemon Targaryen, and I would appreciate it if you kept the truth a secret."

"Of course, my lord, I will protect his Grace with my life." Ned smiled at the knight, and quietly slipped out of King's Landing with Jon and Wylla, and headed north to Winterfell. Once there, he hired a stonecarver to make a likeness of Lyanna for her tomb, and a dragon to contain the ashes of Rhaegar.

**A/N:** Now, I keep to the facts that we know, but a few quick explanations. In my view of ASOIAF/Game of Thrones, Ned and Lyanna's relationship is mirrored with Arya and Jon's relationship, a brother and sister that have no better friend than the other and they understand each other like no other could. I bring Wylla in because I believe that Edric Dayne is telling the truth about him and Jon being 'milk-brothers,' but if she was Jon's wet-nurse, that would still allow for the most popular theory about Jon's parents, the theory that I fully support, and _will_ support until proven wrong.

**Chapter Playlist:**

An Ancient Enemy (Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)

Mark of the Raven (Merlin S2)

Clash of Kings/Season 2 Main Title

The Tournament Begins (Merlin S1)

Game of Thrones

I Am Hers, She Is Mine

The Battle (Master & Commander)

A New King (Thor)

Things I Do For Love


End file.
